Edinburgh, meanwhile, are now eight points adrift of the top four and with teams below them having games-in-hand look marooned in mid-table.

The first try of the match was scored by Connacht's MacGinty in the 21st minute, the stand-off running an excellent line before driving over.

Craig Ronaldson was successful in his conversion to take the league leaders into a seven-point lead. In the 31st minute, Edinburgh were denied a try by the TMO for illegally collapsing a maul.

This resulted in lock Anton Bresler being shown a yellow card. Just a minute later, Connacht went down to the other end of the pitch to score.

This time it was openside Heenan crashing over to extend the visitors' lead. Ronaldson was successful once more with his conversion to take the score to 0-14.

On the stroke of half-time the Irish side went down to 14 men as Tiernan O'Halloran was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle.

Sam Hidalgo-Clyne was unsuccessful with the resultant penalty which meant that the visitors went into the interval with a 14-point lead.

Dean pulled a try back for Edinburgh in the 44th minute, the centre crashing over in the corner after being found well by Hoyland.

However, Connacht punished them once more, responding with a try of their own in the 46th minute. Bundee Aki spotting a gap and exploiting it well to crash over for the visitors' third try. Ronaldson was able to convert, establishing a 16-point lead.

Hoyland scored Edinburgh's second try in the 52nd minute. A well worked move finding its way to the young winger who scored in the corner. Hidalgo-Clyne was able to convert on this occasion making the score 12-21.

The home side had another try through du Preez in the 60th minute. The influential number eight powering over in the corner to score Edinburgh's third try.

Hidalgo-Clyne missed his conversion but was successful with a penalty attempt in the 69th minute to take his side to within a solitary point of Connacht.

The visitors defied Edinburgh pressure late on to score their bonus-point try in the 73rd minute. Eoin McKeon broke free from under the scrum to cross the whitewash and secure victory.

Edinburgh scored a consolation penalty with the last kick of the match through Hidalgo-Clyne, securing a losing bonus point and leaving the final score 23-28.